It's been almost 8 months since i first set foot into the UAE.
I still remember how I swore to my parents about never coming to this place again especially to work.
I also remember how I realized that coming to the UAE was my only way out for survival.
I also remember how I got all excited about going to foreign land to work!.
The point I'm trying to make here is that in all these years where I had these mixed feelings about the same place, I was unknowingly nurturing this mature side of me into a more sensible human being.
After working here and learning about the way of life in this country, i was also beginning to see life in a whole new perspective.
Its funny how you work in your home country for so many years and not once do you really feel the urgency to take your life on a more serious note and make changes for the better. I guess its the feeling of security and belonging that makes you say things like 'I have time' and 'Ill manage'.
All of a sudden when you step out of that cocoon, you feel so insecure that you almost get desperate. You start worrying about the price of groceries, the number of times you have to re-charge your mobile phone because of the call rates and to make it ridiculous, you even begin worrying about the number times you have to go out for that haircut!.
But like they say, with time, you learn to make those decisions on where to spend, how much to spend and when to spend and the funny thing is, it all comes so naturally. Its like you have been trained for something like this all your life!
Another interesting fact is the multicultural society that exists even in a country so small as this.
As an outsider, the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word UAE is perhaps a picture of a Muslim dominated country where the woman dress in black and men look funny in a white dress with headgear and yes, you cannot miss out on the oil!.
Its when you physically get to this country that you realize how wrong you were about this place. I mean a majority of this is true but a lot stays hidden.
It would be interesting to know that in the UAE, the ratio of nationals to expats is shocking. Its about 20% nationals and 80% expats!.
When you hear that figure, the first thing that comes to your mind is "how in the world did 20% of the population control the 80%?!" That question still remains quite a mystery. What most people have made out of this is that the Arab population had all the money in the world because of their oil but failed to understand how to put it to use and so the expats.
What I believe though is that the Arabs undoubtedly had all the money but instead of being lost in terms of where to spend the dough, they were just being lazy!. I mean, with so much of cash in hand, these guys had access to the best schools, colleges and universities. How then do you assume that they dont have the knowledge.
Its a different fact that more than the educational content, the Arabs were perhaps more interested in getting the certificates to boast about rather than utilizing them coz they had people like us to work for them!/
Another interesting perspective to this whole thing is the bonding that you get to see between the expats.
Back in India, the very mention of a country like Pakistan or the mention of a Pakistani national can literally set the stage for a major debate or perhaps even war!. Here in the UAE, Indians and Pakistani's live in such harmony like nothing ever happened. I mean, I have a Pakistani driver who takes me to work every day!.
All my life Bangladesh was just another country. I come to the UAE and actually see people who are from Bangladesh!. I look rather dumb when i say this but did not have a clue about where the Philippines was!.
I come to the UAE and bang!, I'm surrounded by this rather familiar looking race of people whom we knew or referred to as 'chinkis!'
In addition to all these already mentioned nationalities, you have people from the States, UK, Europe, and the various other Arab countries. All working in unison with one and only one goal; to earn that extra buck.
I have to admit that I have changed a lot as a person after coming to this part of the world. Its perhaps the sense of insecurity and responsibility that forced this change out of someone like me.
I'm not sure of what I am in for in the days,months or years to come. But i know one thing for sure. Its been a complete change in perspective!
I still remember how I swore to my parents about never coming to this place again especially to work.
I also remember how I realized that coming to the UAE was my only way out for survival.
I also remember how I got all excited about going to foreign land to work!.
The point I'm trying to make here is that in all these years where I had these mixed feelings about the same place, I was unknowingly nurturing this mature side of me into a more sensible human being.
After working here and learning about the way of life in this country, i was also beginning to see life in a whole new perspective.
Its funny how you work in your home country for so many years and not once do you really feel the urgency to take your life on a more serious note and make changes for the better. I guess its the feeling of security and belonging that makes you say things like 'I have time' and 'Ill manage'.
All of a sudden when you step out of that cocoon, you feel so insecure that you almost get desperate. You start worrying about the price of groceries, the number of times you have to re-charge your mobile phone because of the call rates and to make it ridiculous, you even begin worrying about the number times you have to go out for that haircut!.
But like they say, with time, you learn to make those decisions on where to spend, how much to spend and when to spend and the funny thing is, it all comes so naturally. Its like you have been trained for something like this all your life!
Another interesting fact is the multicultural society that exists even in a country so small as this.
As an outsider, the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word UAE is perhaps a picture of a Muslim dominated country where the woman dress in black and men look funny in a white dress with headgear and yes, you cannot miss out on the oil!.
Its when you physically get to this country that you realize how wrong you were about this place. I mean a majority of this is true but a lot stays hidden.
It would be interesting to know that in the UAE, the ratio of nationals to expats is shocking. Its about 20% nationals and 80% expats!.
When you hear that figure, the first thing that comes to your mind is "how in the world did 20% of the population control the 80%?!" That question still remains quite a mystery. What most people have made out of this is that the Arab population had all the money in the world because of their oil but failed to understand how to put it to use and so the expats.
What I believe though is that the Arabs undoubtedly had all the money but instead of being lost in terms of where to spend the dough, they were just being lazy!. I mean, with so much of cash in hand, these guys had access to the best schools, colleges and universities. How then do you assume that they dont have the knowledge.
Its a different fact that more than the educational content, the Arabs were perhaps more interested in getting the certificates to boast about rather than utilizing them coz they had people like us to work for them!/
Another interesting perspective to this whole thing is the bonding that you get to see between the expats.
Back in India, the very mention of a country like Pakistan or the mention of a Pakistani national can literally set the stage for a major debate or perhaps even war!. Here in the UAE, Indians and Pakistani's live in such harmony like nothing ever happened. I mean, I have a Pakistani driver who takes me to work every day!.
All my life Bangladesh was just another country. I come to the UAE and actually see people who are from Bangladesh!. I look rather dumb when i say this but did not have a clue about where the Philippines was!.
I come to the UAE and bang!, I'm surrounded by this rather familiar looking race of people whom we knew or referred to as 'chinkis!'
In addition to all these already mentioned nationalities, you have people from the States, UK, Europe, and the various other Arab countries. All working in unison with one and only one goal; to earn that extra buck.
I have to admit that I have changed a lot as a person after coming to this part of the world. Its perhaps the sense of insecurity and responsibility that forced this change out of someone like me.
I'm not sure of what I am in for in the days,months or years to come. But i know one thing for sure. Its been a complete change in perspective!
